Thursday, September 29, 2011

Simonson Resigns from Mayor's Staff

Simsonson, chief of staff for Mayor Dewey Bartlett, resigned today following charges that he used his city position to help his son. His resignation is effective October 15.

Here are some details, courtesy of the Tulsa World:

In
his resignation letter, read by Mayor Bartlett, Simonson states,
“Without admitting any wrong doing on my part, what started out as my
simply wanting to help my son become a Tulsa firefighter has turned into
a distraction for you from the important work you must focus on as
Mayor.

“This was never my intentions and, therefore, I believe I must do what is best for you and right for Tulsa,” the letter states.

Bartlett would not say whether he asked for the resignation, saying, “It’s a private matter.”

Simsonson has been a long-time political figure in Tulsa, once writing a weekly political column for Urban Tulsa.